20-year-old Las Cruces man charged with having sex with 13-year-old

LAS CRUCES - A 20-year-old man suspected of having a sexual relationship with a 13-year-old girl has been arrested and charged with four felonies.

Taylor Ascarate, of the 100 block of Turquoise Avenue, is charged with one first-degree felony count of criminal sexual penetration of a minor and three fourth-degree felony counts of criminal sexual penetration of a minor.

Las Cruces Police detectives report that Ascarate met the young girl, who was only 12 years old at the time, in July 2012 at Unidad Park. Detectives learned that Ascarate and the girl engaged in sex once before she turned 13 and three times after she became a teenager.

Detectives also learned that Ascarate was aware of the girl's age from the time they first met.

Detectives believe the teenager ended their relationship in October but only recently told her parents after Ascarate allegedly began threatening the young girl.

Ascarate was arrested Tuesday afternoon and booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center with a cash-only bond set at $50,000.